Abstract:
This thesis is based on research conducted at the National Park Service (NPS) Western Archeological and Conservation Center (WACC) for the purpose of making determinations regarding funerary objects according to the guidelines required by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA Public Law 101-601). The analysis is intended to show that only a nominal amount of artifacts stored at WACC are actually subject to NAGPRA guidelines regarding funerary objects and perhaps more importantly that the curation procedures and conditions surrounding the acquisition of these objects has negatively impacted their research value.